Lead right, or fail: why leadership values & behaviours make (or break) sustainable change

We all know change is hard.

Whether it’s a large-scale transformation or a small process improvement, organisations often struggle to make change stick. Plans are drawn up, initiatives are started, and yet resistance creeps in, momentum fades, and old habits resurface.

So what makes the difference between fleeting change and lasting transformation?

It all comes down to leadership, not just in terms of strategy, but of values and behaviours. Great leaders don’t just drive change; they inspire, guide, and embed it into the very DNA of their organisations. Leadership expert Simon Sinek puts it succinctly...

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge”

This principle is particularly true in change leadership. When leaders model the right behaviours and stay true to strong values, they foster a culture that embraces, rather than resists, transformation.

In my experience, these key elements drive the biggest impact:

Culture eats change for breakfast

Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” He wasn’t dismissing strategy, but was instead highlighting that no strategy, no matter how brilliant, will work if the culture rejects it.

Leaders set the tone for culture through their behaviours and values. If they embrace openness, adaptability, and collaboration, those qualities permeate throughout the organisation. But if they demonstrate fear, indecision, or resistance to new ideas, they stifle progress before it even begins.

What does this look like in practice?

• Leaders who actively listen to their teams rather than dictate from the top
• Leaders who reward experimentation and celebrate learning from failure rather than punishing mistakes
• Leaders who consistently reinforce the “why” behind change, not just the “what” and “how”

When leaders embody these behaviours, they build a culture that doesn’t just tolerate change but actively seeks and sustains it.

Buy-in beats compliance every time

Simply telling people to change doesn’t work. Getting them to believe in the change does.

John Amaechi, psychologist and leadership expert, highlights the difference between compliance and commitment:

“You can get compliance through fear or authority, but true, sustainable change comes when people believe in the mission.”

Leaders who inspire commitment rather than demand compliance do a few key things differently:

• They involve people early. Change isn’t something done to people, it’s something done with them. Great leaders bring teams into the process from the start
• They connect change to personal and organisational purpose. Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, emphasises that people need a sense of purpose to stay engaged. When leaders help teams see how change aligns with their own values and goals, resistance turns into motivation
• They communicate with authenticity. People see through corporate spin. Leaders who acknowledge challenges, answer tough questions honestly, and show vulnerability earn trust... and trust is the foundation of true engagement

Clarity cuts through chaos

Change is messy. It creates uncertainty. And when people feel uncertain, they hesitate. They revert to their old ways.

That’s why clear, consistent leadership communication is essential.

According to Patrick Lencioni, one of the biggest reasons teams fail is ambiguity. When people don’t know what’s expected of them, or they receive mixed signals, productivity and morale plummet.

Leaders can combat this by ensuring:

• A clear and compelling vision for change. What does success look like?
• Simple, consistent messaging that eliminates confusion
• Regular check-ins and updates to address concerns and course-correct. Listen and then act!

Simon Sinek puts it bluntly:

“Great leaders communicate the ‘why’ before the ‘what’ or ‘how.’”

When people understand why a change is happening and how it benefits them, they’re far more likely to embrace it.

Resilience: the secret weapon of change leaders

Every major change initiative will face setbacks. The question isn’t if obstacles will arise; it’s how leaders respond when they do.

Effective change leaders demonstrate resilience when faced with challenges by:

• Staying calm and focused when things go wrong. Panic at the top breeds panic everywhere
• Adapting and pivoting instead of rigidly sticking to a failing plan
• Encouraging their teams to keep pushing forward, even when results aren’t immediate

Brené Brown, a leading researcher on leadership and vulnerability, highlights that resilient leaders acknowledge uncertainty but don’t let it paralyse them. Instead, they face it head-on and help their teams navigate it with confidence. If you want to hear a little more about this topic, you should watch this TED Talk on the Power of Vulnerability.

Change isn’t linear. It’s a rollercoaster. Leaders who embrace resilience keep their teams on track, even when the ride gets bumpy.

Sustainable change requires more than just a one-off effort

Many organisations make the mistake of treating change as a project with a deadline rather than a continuous evolution.

True, sustainable change isn’t about reaching a finish line, it’s about embedding new ways of thinking, working, and behaving for the long haul.

Leaders who drive lasting transformation focus on:

• Continuous learning and development. Change isn’t just about processes, it’s about mindsets
• Reinforcing new behaviours over time, not letting things slip back to "business as usual"
• Building future leaders. Empowering others to champion change so it doesn’t rely on one person or one initiative

As Jim Collins writes in Good to Great:

“Great organisations don’t rely on a single moment of change. They create cultures that make continuous improvement a way of life.”

The hidden cost of toxic leadership

So hopefully you agree that leadership behaviours can make or break the success of change implementation. It should, therefore, seem obvious that the opposite also applies.

Whether organisation-wide or bite-size process improvements, change often collapses from within when toxic leadership behaviours are tolerated or, worse, rewarded.

Leaders who promote fear, blame, or self-interest create a culture where people are too afraid to challenge the status quo. When employees feel psychologically unsafe, they stop innovating, disengage from the change process, and focus on survival rather than progress.

Patrick Lencioni highlights this in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, noting that teams with low trust become defensive, avoid accountability, and ultimately fail to perform.

Even subtle toxic behaviours (e.g. micromanagement, favouritism, or a lack of transparency) can erode morale and foster deep resistance to change. John Amaechi warns that

“A toxic leader doesn’t just harm individuals; they poison the entire culture, stifling growth and innovation”

To create sustainable change, organisations must actively challenge and remove toxic leadership behaviours, not ignore them. This means:

• Calling out poor leadership rather than excusing it for short-term results
• Setting clear expectations for leadership behaviours aligned with organisational values
• Rewarding leaders who build trust, empower teams, and model resilience

A culture that tolerates toxicity sabotages its own success. But a culture that prioritises ethical, values-driven leadership creates the conditions for real, lasting transformation.

Final thoughts: the leadership legacy of change

The real test of leadership isn’t whether you can launch change. It’s whether you can make it stick. Leadership values and behaviours aren’t just nice-to-have; they are the foundation of effective, lasting transformation.

By leading with integrity, clarity, resilience, and purpose, great leaders don’t just drive change; they embed it into the very fabric of their organisations.

So, as a leader, the question you should ask yourself isn't just “How do I implement change?”… it’s “How do I inspire, role-model, and sustain it?”

Because when you get that right, change doesn’t just happen. It lasts.